Studio Earth: EarthBook

DESIGN STUDIO:

EARTH

James Robert Gledhill 836594 Semester 1, 2017 Studio 4 - Hella Wigge

2

CONTENTS

5 6 14 22

Tectonis Point/Line/Plane Mass Frame+Infill

31 32 36 38 40

Herring Island Site Analysis Concepticle Precedents Concept and Sketch Designs

45 46 50 54

A Place for Keeping Secrets Plans + Sections Final Model Digital Model

EarthBook

59 Reflection 61 Bibliography

3

Design Studio Earth

EarthBook

Tectonics To begin the design process, we first explores three different architectural tectonics to develop a language that would allow us to conceptualize and express our final designs. The three tectonics we looked at were Point/Line/Plane, Mass and Frame + Infill. Each exploration offered new ideas and concepts to work with. To express our take on each tectonic, we used a combination of drawings and models.

5

POINT/ LINE /PLANE

Precedents Point/Line/Plane

Serpentine Pavillion Bjarke Ingels, 2016 The pavillion demonstrates how points, lines and planes can flow andmorph into one another.

The linear profile quickly flows into a plane and back again to create a mesmirising effect. The whole composition is then made up of individual points fused to make lines and planes.

Overall, this is a good example of how Point/Line/ Plane can be used to create a homogenous whole.

8

EarthBook

18.36.54 Studio Libeskind, 2010 The composition displays the angular forms that can be created through a Point/ Line/Plane structure.

The planes slope and meet to create distinct lines. The sharp edges and the way the different elements interact gives the notion of grafting, something that could be interesting to explore with Point/Line/Plane.

This design is a good example of how Point/Line/Plane could be implemented to create distinct elements that still interact with one another.

9

Model Point/Line/Plane

10

EarthBook

To explore Point/Line/Plane, I created a model that attempted to bring these elements together in a cohesive way. The design is made up of three planar elements sculpted into three unique shapes. The angular sections showcase line elements as do the overall linear plan of each plane. The point is the base which is a square form.

11

Model Point/Line/Plane

12

EarthBook

For our Point/Line/Plane composition we were asked to consider standing, sitting and laying. To do this I created three elements, each intended to reflect either standing sitting or laying. The idea of seperating these three forms was to show a distinct expression of each position as well as a progression from laying to standing.

At scale 1:50 the design offers places to stand, sit and lay on. They model was designed on an incline and this was done to give a sense of orientation and to imply a view.

13

g

MASS

15

Precedents Mass

Clifftop Retreat Alex Hogrefe, 2016 The concrete structure creates heavines and its solidity makes it a mass structure.

The linear forms created with mass are intriguing as mass can often be percieved as something that is rough or organic.

The way the structure delves into the earth and creates space below the ground line could be an interesting concept to explore.

16

EarthBook

La Pedrera Antoni Gaudi, 1910 The timeless composition explores mass in a more organic way.

The buildings structure is sculpted out of mass into natural land forms.

Gaudi’s composition sits heavily on the ground yet uses mass to create a flow throughout the entire building.

This design is a great precedent for exploring how mass can be used above ground.

17

Drawing Mass

18

EarthBook

0

500

1000 1500 2000mm

The composition shows two different spaces and two different explorations of mass.

The first space is dark and rough and explores mass in its most natural sense.

The second space is more linear and consists of a series of angular columns that create intense light paterns.

19

Drawing Mass

20

EarthBook

Through the tectonic of mass we were asked to create two spaces. One that is dark and interesting to touch and one that uses light in an interesting way.

0

1000 2000 3000 4000mm

My concept revolves around the idea of a journey and finding your way through a space. The dark space requires the vister to feel their way through based on a system that involves the wall texture, while the light space is designed to trick and confuse the vistor playing with the notion of light being positive and darkness negative.

21

FRAME + INFILL

EarthBook

Precedents Frame+Infill

House Na Sou Fujimoto Architects, 2012 The house shows how Frame + Infill can be deftly used to create lots of unique spaces on a small site.

The use of interlocking cuboids of varying dimensions creates an interesting control of density.

It is also intriguing to consider which spaces have been infilled and which have not and what the effect of this is.

24

EarthBook

Morgan Library Renovation RPBW Architects, 2016 The Morgan Library is a good example of how Frame + Infill can be used to span and enclose large spaces.

Whilst the frame structure is quite regular, the infill varies from mateials that are transperent or opaque.

This control of light and visibility makes the frame and infill structure very versatile.

25

Model Frame+Infill

26

EarthBook

The brief for the Frame + Infill exploration was quite specific, requesting eight bays to create the frame with specific infill requirements.

For my concept I wanted to create a structure that changed and gave different impressions as someone moves around it.

This was achieved be creating density with the irregular structure as well as creating no clear entry point meaning there is no prescribed front or back to the structure.

27

Drawing Frame+Infill

28

EarthBook

The Frame + Infill concept has been expressed in both a model and a drawing.

While the model shows the spatial qualites and allows each angle to be investigated. The drawing higlights the density of the structure and the depth that it creates.

29

Design Studio Earth

EarthBook

Herring Island Having developed the forms with which to express our final concept, the next element that needed to be considered was the site. Herring Island is a unique location in that it is well embedded within the City of Melbourne yet has had very little architectural intervention. Through site analysis and researching appropriate precedents a conceptacle could be formed.

This in term would inspire the final design concept for the pavilion.

31

g

32

SITE ANALYSIS

EarthBook

Circulation

Topography

Sun Path

Due to a mixture of signage and clear planning, there is a set way that the island is circulated. In order to locate a good site for placing my secret I explored areas away from the main circulation path. Whit that in mind however, it is also important to consider that the pavillion will need to be easily accessible.

The islands has an interesting topogrphy with great opportunity. To best take advantage of the islands topography, I primarily explored around the islands edge where the topography was most extreme.

This would also mean I can draw inspiration from my Point/Line/Plane exploration which was designed on an inclined plane.

The sun rises in the east moves through the north and sets in the wast. This means that the southern end of Herring Island would get significantly less sun. This presents an ideal part of the Island to hide a secret as the shadows would be greater and the sites less explored creating a feeling of isolation, perfect for the pavillion.

33

Site Analysis

7

8

6

4

3 1

The numbered points on the rightindicate the sculpture cites in the park.

Many of the sculptures are clustered to the north of the island while Point 9 is fairly issolated. That being said the northern tip looks to be unexplored.

While using a site in the centre of the island would make sense to protect a secret. the isolated tips may be more appropriate.

The site I selected, inidicated by the white box, is isolated, close to the southern tip of the island and offers a unique space to work with.

34

2

5

9

EarthBook

The specific site is an isolated opening that sits facing away from the nearby dock. There is only one path in and out of the space which reduces foot traffic through the site.

The space also lends itself to looking out rather than looking in which I think is a perfect place for a secret.

The clearing makes it easy to conceptualise potential designs.

35

CONCEPTICLE

g

36

EarthBook

37

PRECEDENTS

Rietveld Schrรถder House Gerrit Thomas Rietveld, 1924 The house, inspired by the De Stijl movement, shows how lines and planes can form interesting design in two dimensions and be extruded into three dimensional forms.

The rectangular forms create a sense of rigidity yet the abstract layout creates intriguing froms.

38

EarthBook

Featherstone House Robin Boyd, 1967 The Featherstone House is a great example of how outdoor and indoor spaces can fuse.

I’m fascinated be the central pilar and how a commanding piece of mass can connect different spaces and levels so seamlessly The use of an exposed timber frame merging with the mass structure works in a really complemtary way.

39

CONCEPT

& SKETCH DESIGNS

g

40

EarthBook

Sketch Idea One

Sketch Idea Two

Sketch Idea Three

41

Final Concept

42

EarthBook

I decided to design the initial concept as a section as I felt it was the best way to express the Above, On and Below elements of my design.

The final concept brings together my tectonic and precedent research in a succinct way.

The Above ground frame was inspired by the Rietveld SchrĂśder House combined with my Frame + Infill exploration.

The On and Below ground elements are Mass elements that draw from my concept drawings.

The central column connecting the three compenents was inspired by Robin Boyd’s Featherstone House.

43

Design Studio Earth

EarthBook

A Place For Keeping Secrets The final design of the Pavilion offers a unique take on the concept of ‘Secrets’. By linking a series of architectural elements, visitors will make connections that will guide them through the site to the secret. After considering the site as well as the tectonic explorations, the final design has been presented using a mixture of drawing and models both physical and digital. The space is designed with the goal of concealing and eventually revealing the secret, a Time Capsule.

45

PLANS + SECTIONS

46

EarthBook

Above

On

The design is split into three components; Above, On and Below.

Below

The above plan shows the frame structure. The plan is heavily inspired by De Stijl elements and uses rectangular forms that overlap and intersect to create a simple density.

The On plan shows the ground plan. More organic forms are used to integrate Mass and connect the Above space to the Below one.

The Below plan shows the underground, cave-like structure.

The black rectangle inidicates the secret, which is in this case, a Time Capsule

0

2000 4000 6000 8000mm

47

Plans + Sections Final Design

Experiential Section 48

0

1000 2000 3000 4000mm

EarthBook

Section One

Section Two

Section Three

0

2000 4000 6000 8000mm

49

FINAL MODEL

50

EarthBook

The Final Model was constructed with the intent to showcase the relationships between the different spaves and to show how one might move about the site.

The model can move and disassemble to show off the different spaces within the design, specifically the underground space.

At 1:50 the model adequetely displays the spatial qualities of the site.

51

Design Studio Earth

52

EarthBook

53

DIGITAL MOD E L

54

EarthBook

The Digital Model was made with the intent of showcasing realistic renderings of the pavillion.

The Digital Model allows material to be seen as well as how the pavillion interacts with the surrounding context .

We can also see how people may interact with the pavillion and its different spaces.

55

Digital Model Secrets

56

EarthBook

57

Design Studio Earth

58

Reflection

EarthBook

The beginning of the subject and the exploration of the three tectonics proved critical to the entire design process. To produce engaging work based on the tectonic systems was initially difficult, especially knowing that these explorations would influence the final design for the subject. I found that from Point/Line/Plane to Mass and finally to Frame + Infill, my work improved and I gained more confidence in what I was doing. This was largely to do with the guidance from my tutor and being pushed to try new things and explore ideas to their full potential.

The conceptualization stage of the semester was easily the most difficult. Pulling together the three tectonics and working towards a feasible concept was challenging. In the end, I just kept generating more and more ideas and concepts until I found one that I thought reflected the semesters work till that point in time and would allow me to do something unique with my final design.

Translating my concept into its final design was a matter of using different mediums until I understood intimately how the whole design would function and fir together.

My final presentation failed to convey the full thinking behind my design so through the Earth Book, I went back to the beginning and rejigged the entire process to ensure the thought behind everything I did was easy to see and the project was cohesive. I also created a Rhino model and renderings to best represent my design.

Overall, the subject has been incredibly rewarding and the skills I have gained invaluable. I would like to thank my tutor, Hella, and the entire Studio Four for all the help and create an environment that was conducive to learning.

59

Design Studio Earth

60

Bibliography

EarthBook

[Serpentine Pavilion 2016 designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) | Serpentine Galleries] (http://www.serpentinegalleries. org/press/2016/02/serpentine-pavilion-2016-designed-bjarke-ingels-group-big) [18.36.54 - Libeskind] (http://libeskind.com/work/18-36-54/) [La Pedrera, heritage | La Pedrera looks like new](https://www.lapedrera.com/en/la-pedrera-heritage/casa-mila-lookslike-new) [Alex Hogrefe’s conceptual retreat is cut into an Icelandic clifftop](https://www.dezeen.com/2016/04/16/architecture-visualisation-alex-hogrefe-conceptual-retreat-remote-iceland-cliff-top/) [Morgan Library Renovation | RPBW Architects] http://www.rpbw.com/project/renovation-and-expansion-of-the-morgan-library [House Na | Sou Fujimoto] https://www.dezeen.com/2012/05/08/house-na-by-sou-fujimoto-architects/ [Featherston House by Robin Boyd | Yellowtrace](http://www.yellowtrace.com.au/featherston-house-by-robin-boyd/) [Rietveld Schröderhuis (Rietveld Schröder House) - UNESCO World Heritage Centre](http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/965)

61